Aromas of cranberries and cherries, and there’s a lot of spicy herbal tones, rose petals, black tea, along with warm clay and earth. Medium/full-bodied with bright acidity, and moderate grip on the tannins, but no harsh edges — this has lovely balance. Crunchy cranberries, black cherries, wild raspberries, the fruit is laced with smoky earth, pepper, paprika and rose petals. Lovely, fresh, vibrant yet structured well; this should improve with three to four years of cellaring. From Blocks 15 and 13, aged in 43% new French oak.

Deep cherry and raspberry aromas, with a complex blend of rose petals, tobacco leaf, smoky, earthy tones, but also airy, lifted notes. Crisp acidity frames the wine nicely, medium/full-bodied, serious grip on tannins, but this is really well-balanced. Bright strawberries, raspberries and cherries, gorgeous, concentrated fruit, yet so lively. Notes of clove, cola, earth, wild herbs add complexity. I’d love to see what this does in five years. Made from their estate vineyard Block 9, aged 15 months in 45% new French oak.

From a small block on the property’s eastern edge near a riverbed, this wine is sultry and attractive when first poured, with an inviting suite of scents—of smoke and allspice, clove and olive. It stays savory and spicy, with generous flavors of plum and black cherry, and a fine, supple texture. Match its dark generosity to a meaty boar chop.

A sleek syrah from Wells Guthrie, this comes from a vineyard only 25 miles from the Pacific, planted at 1,600 feet in altitude in the early 2000s. It feels rich and grand, with floral notes and meaty depths of flavor. It’s immediately appealing for the purity of its flavors and the subtlety of their earthy root notes. Rather than expanding on those elements with air, it grows quiet for now, a retreat that suggests it’s best to either drink the wine right now, or cellar it for five years or more.

The darkest wine in a flight of dark syrahs, this smells of blood, iron filings and menthol, its black fig and black plum flavors caught in the gravitational pull of its tannins. For all of its opacity, it feels balanced, even charming, ready for a tomahawk steak.

Juicy and textured in Bartlett and Asian pear, this is an impressive white that offers length and breadth around a core of fresh acidity. Stone, mineral and lasting notes of Meyer lemon and peach combine seamlessly on the finish.

New wine to the Yangarra range. Blend of 40% Grenache, 21% Mourvèdre, 14% Shiraz, 12% Cinsaut, 11% Carignan, 2% Counoise. They’re about to plant picpoul noir and muscardin for use in future releases; Yangarra never does anything by half measures. It’s a great wine to drink. Spicy, herbal, fragrant, a bit different, plenty of character, the fruit to carry it. Sparks fly. I guess you’d call it red fruited and medium bodied but that’s just the start of things. You have to seek this out. It’s got something.

Whole berry, basket pressed; wild yeast Ferment, lees maturation and battonage. Rosé shown some love, the Yangarra way. Touch of Turkish Delight and rose petal, softly accented, to entice. Crisp, clipped, has a cool approach - in that it feels punchy across the palate. Spiced nuance moving through the final third, driving length. Rivals the best of any, so-called, Provençal style Rosé.

This Pinot blends fruit from the estate’s four single vineyards. For much of Australia, 2020 was a rollercoaster of a vintage. In the Yarra it resulted in small yields but heaps of natural acidity and elegance. The color of rose petals, this wine is light and perfumed, billowing fresh cherry and spice aromas, followed by soy sauce savory nuances. The palate is equally dainty in frame, with a tug of ethereal tannins, juicy fruit and a spicy, slightly medicinal core.

Comparatively light in the glass, this bottling begins with peppery aromas that waft through smashed black raspberry and hints of tar on the nose. It’s lively on the palate with ample blasts of berry fruit as well as complex pine-needle, bay leaf and rosemary elements. It is versatile for many foods or just apéritif sips.

This is a substantial wine, full of considerable power and length, that grips with a backbone of intensity and structure. Black olive, plum, crushed rock and herb combine for an earthy palate of pronounced richness.

Dark blackberry, licorice, root beer and cola aromas collide in earthy ways on the nose of this clonal selection. There’s a woody frame to the sip, where shiitake, cranberry and orange-rind flavors make for a complex expression that grows fresher into the finish.

Made in a generous, concentrated, full-bodied style with sizable tannins, this wine is juicy yet lush in texture. Ripe black cherries and blackberries ride along a palate of forest floor, clove and cola undertones.

From several sites, including Stellenbosch home-farm. 2018 ripe lemon-lime marmalade tones with lees & complementary vanilla oak, 38% new. Sleek & silky, braced & lengthened by pronounced thread of salty acid.

A brilliant new wine by Erik Kramer, this shows off a pretty core of tart red fruits alongside a great combination of viscosity and tension. The rich mouthfeel entices here. Finishing long with tilled soils and red fruits alongside copious minerals, this is a beautiful 2018 Pinot Noir that is built for the cellar.

Classic, value, juicy.Carmel Road is nestled in the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains in Monterey's Arroyo Seco appellation. It is just one of the several dozen outstanding wineries in the Jackson Family Wines (Kendall-Jackson, La Crema, Freemark Abbey, Arrowood, etc.) portfolio.At under $20 this wine offers exceptional value. It has initial earthy and spicy notes, that roll into classic red cherry and rhubarb, pomegranate, red apple peel, fine white pepper, bacon fat and leather. It has a juicy palate with lively red fruits underscored by fine aromatic spices and forest floor flavours. It's got excellent bones and true pinosity.

A floral and herbaceous nose of roses, violets and sage with notes of ripe red cherries and black licorice as well. Medium-bodied with well-integrated tannins and good, steady intensity. Sweet red fruit and fresh mint on the palate. Very attractive. A lovely line of balsamic on the finish. Drink now.

Pleasant aromas of red fruit and berries, ground spice and peppermint. Medium-bodied with fine, well-integrated tannins and nice presence on the palate. While gentle and delicate, there is still good depth of flavor and length. Drink now.

Aromas of green apple, lemon rind, honeysuckle and wet stone. Medium-bodied and very clear and lean in its delivery. There is really precise balance here with steady acidity. Lovely savory character develops on the palate. Elegant and refined. Drink now.

More McLaren Vale than Cab Franc, but who cares when it’s an enjoyable drink?Then again, everything Hickinbotham is unwaveringly great, and this is no exception. From a 0.9ha vineyard planted in 2013. Cold soak, wild ferment, 15 days on skins, basket pressed. Includes 7% Malbec and 2% Merlot. Yield 6t/ha. Numbers: pH 3.53 TA 6.2g/L.Deep, dark and molten, it’s a black wine of considerable sexy oak and power. Seduction, weight, silken tannins. Right bank Bordeaux, but with a McLaren Vale mid palate. Lots of oak but not unbalanced. The flavour is abundant for such moderate alcohol. High class.Best drinking: good now, better in a few years, and fine drinking for at least fifteen more.

The 2018 Penner-Ash Chardonnay shows ripe honeysuckle tones on the nose with baking spice laced sourdough bread and bright melon tones. The palate is fresh and viscous with a great beam of tension as saline dusted orchard and citrus fruits greet you alongside undercurrents of wild mushroom. Really good to enjoy right now, this has another eight plus years ahead of it.

The 2018 Pinot Noir Julia's Signature Collection is 100% Clone 23 fermented in barrel. Succulent black cherry, plum, lavender, spice and licorice fill out the layers effortlessly. The 2018 offers tons of depth as well as character.

The 2019 Syrah, from Bar M in Los Alamos, is elegant, perfumed and deep. Black cherry, plum, spice, tobacco, cedar and dried herbs fill out the layers. Wonderfully aromatic and savory, the 2019 has so much to offer. The 100% whole clusters feel especially well balanced here. This soft, open-knit Syrah will be ready to go with another year or two in bottle.

The 2019 Chardonnay (Sta. Rita Hills) is outrageously beautiful. Lemon confit, tangerine oil, mint and light tropical character all grace the 2019. Bright saline accents play off the creamy fruit in a Chardonnay that dazzles from start to finish. All the best qualities of the year come through loud and clear.

The 2019 Pinot Noir 459 is intensely aromatic and ethereal in feel. Cedar, sweet pipe tobacco, mint and dried herbs all open in the glass. Silky tannins give this mid-weight Pinot tons of sensuality and appeal to balance some of its more eccentric leanings.